Carsten Rode

Carsten Rode specializes in pain management and rehabilitation, with extensive experience supporting patients through injury recovery and restoring optimal function. He earned his Master of Science degree in Acupuncture from Bastyr University, where he also obtained a certificate in Chinese Herbal Medicine. In 2021, Carsten joined Bastyr University’s faculty, where he continues to teach and mentor the next generation of acupuncturists.

Carsten believes that chronic pain is influenced not only by physical factors, but also by emotional and psychological stress. He recognizes that adverse life events—including trauma and PTSD—can have a detrimental effect on the experience of pain. Through acupuncture and integrative care, he helps patients address both the physical and emotional dimensions of their health.

Carsten approaches each condition by drawing upon both Western medical models and Eastern healing traditions. He emphasizes individualized care, understanding that no two patients are alike. Each treatment plan is tailored to the patient’s unique constitution, root imbalances, and symptom presentation rather than following a one-size-fits-all approach.

Like many, Carsten discovered acupuncture only after conventional options failed to bring relief. He had struggled with persistent shoulder and wrist pain, relying on medication without success. When surgery was suggested—with limited chances of success—he turned to acupuncture as an alternative. The results were transformative, and his pain soon faded into the past. Inspired by this personal healing journey, Carsten chose to shift his career path and dedicate himself to the field that had changed his life.

Originally from Germany, Carsten grew up in a family of doctors and nurses, witnessing firsthand the impact compassionate care could have on patients’ lives. Those early experiences left a lasting impression and led him to pursue acupuncture at Bastyr University in Seattle. The rigorous training opened his eyes to the remarkable synergy between traditional and integrative medicine. For Carsten, the greatest reward comes from seeing a patient smile more brightly after each session.

Carsten is a board-certified Diplomate of Acupuncture (NCCAOM). His clinical experience includes working with a wide range of conditions—such as chronic pain, sprains and strains, anxiety, depression, stress, and complications from auto immune diseases, as well as sports medicine and reproductive medicine including pregnancy support and postpartum assistance.

He has treated patients through Bastyr’s teaching clinics, supported athletes at the Seattle Marathon, and collaborated with medical doctors at Group Health Urgent Care and with an orthopedic specialist at the Medizinisches Zentrum Staedte Region Aachen in Germany.